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I. W. Wells
Salon No. 6

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General George Washington in Prayer at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1778 By I. W. Wells, December 1878 Oval pyrography composition on rectangular wood panel, 10-3/4 in. wide by 13 in. tall Image thanks to Judy Butler

General George Washington in Prayer at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1778 By I. W. Wells, December 1878 Oval pyrography composition on rectangular wood panel, 10-3/4 in. wide by 13 in. tall Image thanks to Judy Butler

General George Washington in Prayer at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1778 verso, detail of the signature By I. W. Wells, December 1878 Inscription, verso, reads: Burnt By I.W. Wells Philada. Decr. 1878. Oval pyrography composition on rectangular wood panel, 10-3/4 in. wide by 13 in. tall Image thanks to Judy Butler

General George Washington in Prayer at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Detail of the Two Figures By I. W. Wells, December 1878 Oval pyrography composition on rectangular wood panel, 10-3/4 in. wide by 13 in. tall Image thanks to Judy Butler

General George Washington in Prayer at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1778 Detail view of center section of panel By I. W. Wells, December 1878 Oval pyrography composition on rectangular wood panel, 10-3/4 in. wide by 13 in. tall Image thanks to Judy Butler

American collector Judy Butler acquired this panel in Vermont. It is a mirror-image composition of an 1854 painting by German immigrant artists Lambert Sachs (1818–1903) and Paul Weber (1823–1916). It is hoped that this grand old piece, which has obvious issues of condition, will be restored.

The Wells' pyrographic panel exhibited here includes on the recto, below the image of General George Washington, the story, likewise in pyrography, of what is represented there, as follows:

"In the month of June 1778, a short time before the American Army left their encampment at Valley Forge, a respectable old Quaker by the name of Potts happened one morning to pass through the woods bordering on headquarters. On emerging from the woods his attention was attracted to a spot in the bushes whence proceeded the sound of a human voice. He drew nigh and was much surprised to behold the General In Chief himself, on his knees and in the act of fervent and audible prayer. The old Quaker could then overhear that part of the General's prayer in which "he thanked God for the blessings bestowed on him and, alluding in humble terms to his own weakness, implored the protection of his Heavenly Father for the success of the arduous mission He had imposed upon him, and finally prayed Him with filial devotion to bless the sword He had placed in his hand to protect and defend the rights and liberties of his fellow countrymen."

The title, including the date of the event depicted, form the oval border surrounding the composition. It is interesting that the artist used the letters PA (like today's postal code!) to abbreviate Pennsylvania, when that was not at all typical of that time.

Note that the artist's name could easily be interpreted as J. W. Wells rather than I. W. Wells because of the calligraphic style. However, the same is true of the signature shown for this artist in his inscription on the 1866 panel in the Pinto Collection of the Birmingham Museum in the U.K. where his name is shown as I.W. Wells, as it is by Edward and Eva Pinto in their 1970 book, as well.

It is worth noting, also, that Wells' upper case I in the title "Independence" on the verso of his panel, exhibited in his Salon No. 4, looks very much like the first initial of his name.

A picture of a Wells' work can be seen in the companion book that was written by Edward and Eva Pinto, the original owners of that work and of about 19 others that were acquired by the Birmingham Museums and today form the Pinto Collection there. Four works in pyrography are on display at the web site of the Pinto Collection in Birmingham, England, but not their work by I. W. Wells.

Susan Millis, who has an advanced degree in the conservation and restoration of pyrographic works, has studied at length and under magnification the works in the Pinto Collection. She is encouraged that the 1878 Wells work "General Washington Praying at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania" displayed here could well be by the same artist who did the 1866 panel "Waiting for the Plough" that is in England. Notes on that important collection, including on I. W. Wells, were given by Susan Millis in an interview for Pyrograffiti at the link here.

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If you have either any questions to ask or any additional information to offer about I. W. Wells or this panel by him, please e-mail the E-Museum Curator.

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